The Past and Present Ignite
by Girlfearless
Summary: One womans choices will changed all their lives forever. Jason, Sonny, Emily, Brenda, Carly, Johnny etc. Ch. 8 up. PLEASE RR
1. A Familar Stranger

A Familiar Stranger  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own most of these characters and you will recognize the ones I do own. and all that other good stuff.  
  
"Hey," Layla Marchett said waving her hand in front of her friend and patients face. "Is there something wrong.what are you looking at?"  
  
"Well, do you see that woman over there," Emily asked pointing to the tall brunette across the street. "She looks a lot like my mother."  
  
"Sweetie I've seen your mother she's blonde and at least a little shorter than the woman you are pointing at," Layla said as she squinted to get a better view.  
  
"No, not Monica I mean my biological mother Paige," Emily half- heartedly responded as she got up and started to cross the street.  
  
"Isn't she dead?" Layla asked before she noticed the woman take of running and Emily darting after her. She couldn't help, but to feel proud when she saw her running. I had been two years since she had shown up at the physical therapy center in Arizona, and at that time no one knew if she would ever be able to walk again, and now she was running. Granted she was running after a woman she though was her dead mother, but she was running nonetheless.  
  
  
  
Two Hours Later  
  
"Okay now what are you doing," Layla asked for the fifth time in ten minutes and was still awaiting an answer.  
  
"I'm packing," Emily said giving her physical therapist a look as though she should have already known that. "Then I'm going to find my aunt Corey and try to figure out what the hell is going on."  
  
"Why don't you ask your mother," Layla replied and then noticing the look she was getting continued. "I'm mean Monica. you know the woman who has been you mother since Paige died."  
  
"Two reasons," Emily said as she picked up a picture of her and Jason and looked at it for a second before throwing it into her bag. "One being I don't want her to think I'm totally insane. and two I'm not sure that she doesn't already know my mother is alive."  
  
"You do realized that your reasons sort of negate each other," Layla asked as she reached over the bed she was now sitting on and dialed her bosses phone number.  
  
"Dr. Martin," The voice on the other end said.  
  
"Hey Sharon this is Layla I just called to tell you that I am going to go ahead and take the vacation we were talking about last week."  
  
Emily looked up from the work she was doing and stared intently at her friend who had never taken a vacation in all the time she had know her. Actually it was known by everyone that Layla didn't take vacations, she always said that since she didn't have any family to share holidays and things of the-such with she could at least be keeping her patients company. So here she planning for a vacation and telling her boss she didn't know how long she would be gone. "What do you think your doing?"  
  
"I'm coming with you, if your going on this crazy trip the least you could do is have some company and anyway I had some things I wanted to tell you today and if you don't mind I would still like you to know them." Layla said.  
  
Emily stared at her for a moment not quite sure whether this was a good idea or not, but then she told herself that there would be no one else for her to talk to if this was true, if her mother really was alive she was going to need a friend and right now the woman in front of her was all that she had. Now it was her turn to reach across the bed and call someone.  
  
"What do you want," the voice on the other end yelled.  
  
"Hey Mr. Spencer it's Emily Quartermaine and I sort of need your help with something if you don't mind."  
  
"Oh hey little darlin' sorry for yelling at you, what do you need," he said. Then he realized what she called him. "Wait a second I'm not Mr. anything so if you really want me to help your gonna have to call me by my name."  
  
"Umm.okay Luke can you help me with something I'd be forever grateful," Emily said as she looked at Layla who had picked up the other phone in the room and was laughing at the crazy guy on the other end.  
  
"Well what do you need?"  
  
"Actually I need you to find an address for me, I have a name and a city I just need the address for this person. Also, I'm gonna need your help making sure no one knows where I am especially the Quartermaines."  
  
"Sure darlin' just give me the name and tell me why you can't ask your big brother, Jason, for help with this."  
  
"I don't want to worry him and I don't want him trying to help he's got enough going on right now with being married to Brenda and all."  
  
"I will never be able to figure how those two got together...let me tell you some weird things happen in this town," Luke said as he reached across his desk and grabbed a pen and paper. "So give me the info and I'll get you ready to go.hey that sort of rhymed anyway shoot. Well not literally."  
  
"Luke," Emily said interrupting him. "You're babbling. I need to find Corey Mathews and she lives in Tucson, Arizona."  
  
"Wait a second," Luke said now interrupting her. "Isn't this the aunt you and Cowboy went looking for? Darlin' what are you doing this time?"  
  
"Nothing bad Luke I promise, it's just that something came up and I need her to help me.I can't really explain it, but after I talk to her I'm coming home and I'll explain it to you and Lucky then. Okay."  
  
"Whatever you say I'll get right on this, it should only take me an hour or so unless she's trying to hide. Where can I reach you?"  
  
"Hold on a sec," Emily said as she reached in her bag and pulled out her cell phone number and Layla's. "You can try either my number 555-3264 or my friend who's coming with me 555-9864 and thanks a lot Luke."  
  
"Anytime darlin' you've kept my boy out of enough trouble.got him into some too, but mostly kept him out so I'm at you mercy anytime you need me and don't be a stranger when you get home okay kid."  
  
"Alright," Emily said and then she noticed that the line was dead. " I hate it when they do that."  
  
"Here's the plan," Layla said throwing one of Emily's bags over her shoulder and walking out of the room. "We need to go to my place and get some stuff for me, then we'll need to call and make flight arrangements to Port Charles. I figure meeting you aunt and getting the information we need shouldn't take anymore then three to four days so I'll get us a flight out in four days. Since it's 5:00 at night now we should go get food get my stuff and then we can drive until we get to a town called Eloy that I saw on the map it's about half way to Tucson from here and by then your friend Luke should have called with the address."  
  
Emily looked at Layla in shock-she couldn't believe that she had come up with all that in like fifteen minutes-as she piled her stuff into the red Mitsubishi Eclipse that Jason had bought her when she could finally drive. It wasn't the best car in the world, but it was from him and it was what she saw first, and in the right color so it was perfect.  
  
"How do you know this woman doesn't just look like you mother?" Layla asked breaking Emily out of her thoughts.  
  
"Do you remember the tattoo I got when I ran my first mile, the one of a rose" Emily asked and then continued when her friends shook her head. "Well the reason I got that was because my mother got the same one the first time we were told that the cancer was gone. That woman had a rose tattooed on her ankle, that's what I was staring at when you asked. It's not just that though, when my mother died I went to see the body and when I looked at the tattoo I thought it was in a different place.a little higher up on her ankle than it had been before, but at that time I was too young and had no reason to doubt her death, now I'm not so young and have good reason."  
  
After that they were both silent until Luke called with the address. 


	2. Untold Truths

Untold Truths  
  
Disclaimer in first chapter.  
  
  
  
"I can't believe I'm about to do this," Emily said as she pulled into the ranch that her aunt Corey was now living on. "I mean what if she doesn't know anything, what if I'm about to walk into this woman's life and turn it upside down because I don't want to let go of my dead mother?"  
  
Layla let all of the questions settle in her brain before finally deciding on the answer. "What if she does know something and you don't go up there and ask her, you'll spend the rest of your life wondering what could have been. Emily you said it yourself there are just too many things going on here. Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, and three times is just plain weird."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" Emily interrupted before she started laughing.  
  
"It's from a story I read," Layla explained. "I mean the story was nothing like this situation, but the point is that when there are so many things happening that just seem to fit together. You should definitely find out what is going on because if you don't, it could come back to bite you in the ass later. So are we gonna do this or not?"  
  
"Yea we're gonna do this." Then both of the girls got out of the car and walked to rest of the way up the driveway, when they got to the door Emily looked hesitantly at Layla and brought her hand up to the door to knock.  
  
A blonde woman who seemed to be in her late thirties or early forties opened the door and looked intently at the girls in front of her. She had on jeans and a flannel t-shirt that had mud on it which made it easy to tell that she had either been working in a garden of some sort or playing in the dirt, which was unlikely.  
  
"Oh my, you look just like her," the woman said ushering Emily in and almost completely ignoring Layla's presence, except to give her a look which asked what she thought she was doing there.  
  
"Your Corey right?" Emily asked and when the woman shook her head almost violently in agreement she then asked: "Do you know who I am?"  
  
"Of course I do sweetheart, your Emily Bowen-Quartermaine, my sister's precious little girl."  
  
"Okay," Emily hesitated and didn't really know what to say next. She looked around the room and noticed pictures of two girls everywhere she assumed that one of them was Corey, but she could automatically tell which girl was her mother. Her aunt was right they did look exactly alike. There was one picture of her mother sitting on a tree that automatically reminded her of a photo she had of her, Jason and A.J. in the back yard of the house, the look on their faces was almost identical. Hell their faces were almost identical.  
  
"So what are you doing here?" Corey asked and when Emily looked at the woman she could see something that almost resembled fear in her eyes, she knew at that point that her mother was definitely alive and it was time to find out what was going on.  
  
"Do you know where Paige is," she asked and noticed Layla flinch at the abruptness of the question until Corey got up and started pacing.  
  
"I knew you would figure it out one day," Corey said as she continued pacing the room. "You look like her, so why wouldn't you be as smart as she is. I'll tell you anything you want to know, but I just need you to answer one question for me first, who told you?"  
  
"No one, I saw her one the street and when I chased, she ran so I took a chance that you would know what was going one and came here. Now that you've gotten your one question out, I have a few for you. The first of which is, do Monica and Alan know that she's alive, I mean have they known all of this time and just not told me?"  
  
"Yes." And it was that simple, Emily felt all of her control falling away and she could feel the tears begin to run down her face. Not only was her mother alive, but also her parents had been lying to her all of this time. She wanted to yell and scream, but mostly she wanted to cry, so she did. Layla just sat there and held her until all of the tears were gone and she could deal with the rest of the story.  
  
"Why did this happen? Why did my mother fake her death? Did she not want me, because if that were the case you would think that she would have given me up at birth and not kept me for so long? So I guess my next question is: Why?" Emily was rambling and she knew it, but she also figured that she had the right her whole world had just been turned upside down and this was her only way of dealing, without having a total and complete breakdown.  
  
"Your mother loved-loves you with all of her heart," Corey said with so much conviction that Emily couldn't help but to believe her. "She has always loved you and always will without question. The things she did were all to protect you from situations that you wouldn't have been able to understand at the time and I need you to remember that, because this is a pretty long story and some of it isn't good."  
  
Emily looked at the woman who had finally taken a seat on the couch in front of her and she knew that she wasn't going to like this, but like she had been telling herself since she stepped into this situation; it was time. "Can you please just tell me what happened?"  
  
"I will, but there are things you have to know to really be able to understand so bear with me. First of all you need to know who your grandfather was; mine and your mothers father, he was a businessman who had dealings with a lot of shady people including mobsters and arms dealers. Thomas Bowen the man who you've always believed to be your father was one of his employees, actually the only person my father trusted with the exception of Paige and me."  
  
"Wait a second," Emily interrupted. "What do you mean the man that I've believed to be my father.you mean that man who was my father, right. That's what you mean."  
  
"No," Corey continued. "I mean the man you believed was you father now let me finish so that you can understand before you jump to conclusions. Your mother and father.well Tommy, were all set to get married and he was going to take over my dad's business when he died, but then a man started coming around who had taken a liking to you mother. He flirted and flirted with her until she couldn't help, but to notice and at that time she was still a little naïve, no one had ever given her that kind of attention except Tommy so she ate it up not realizing that she was provoking a dangerous man.  
  
"Well, that kept up for a while until one night your mom and Tommy got into a fight about him working in the business, she was feeling a little scared because there had been a shooting the week before and he said all the wrong things. Anyway she left and went out to a bar and ran into the man that had been hanging around, she had too much to drink and they ended up sleeping together. When she woke up she told him it was a mistake and the went home and immediately told Tommy, and being the caring man that he was he understood and told her it would be okay. After a couple of months she regained his trust and then it happened.one day she got sick and then she noticed that she had missed her period.  
  
"Seven months later the most perfect creature that any of us had ever seen was born and your mother and Tommy got married a day later, but of course we should have known that the man she slept with could do math. One day he showed up at our door and wanted to see his daughter. At first we told him that you weren't his, but before that we had made a horrible mistake, we all agreed that it was a good idea to get a blood test just to be sure and he found out and got a hold of it. He kept trying and trying to see you and when we wouldn't allow it, when we blocked him at every legal turn he took and illegal one and killed my father and Tommy. That left just Paige and I and we didn't know what to do so we went to a man that worked with my father and he helped you two disappear while I stayed behind to keep things under control."  
  
"I don't understand," Layla interrupted this time. "If everything was under control then what happened?"  
  
"My mother got sick," Emily responded and then looked over at Corey and told her to continue.  
  
"Exactly," she said. "When you mother got sick she was so sure that she would eventually die and there was nothing I could do to convince her otherwise. I stayed away for as long as I could, but one day I had to go and see her and I was followed. So we got all of our money together and put it in and off shore account for you to have when you needed it and it's still there today. I kept one of the more discrete businesses going and I've been living off of that. Anyway, your mother met Monica and everything just clicked so one day we sat her down and told her what was going on and she agreed that the only way for you to be safe was for Paige to be dead because no one would expect you to a Quartermaine of all things and luckily your father, Alan, agreed, I'm not sure if the rest of your family knows or not. Looking back now, that probably wouldn't have really stopped him from looking for you, but your mother's death did. After that he just dropped off the face of the earth and we didn't want to jinx it so I stayed away from Paige and she stayed away from you. That was all working out very well until a couple of weeks ago, I assume that your mother saw the same television report I did and wanted to check on you?"  
  
"What television report?" Emily asked anxious to figure out who her father was.  
  
"The one that said Luis Alcazar had not only resurfaced, but was in Port Charles."  
  
Emily and Layla were both frozen, just that name made it all fall into place and Emily realized that Paige probably hadn't seen the television report and if she had it wasn't what got her attention. It was that fact that Alcazar had kidnapped Monica to fix him when he was shot; she probably called Paige as soon as it happened. It was almost funny to her that he had been so close to something he wanted for years and didn't even know it. She could see it now, she could completely understand why he had obsessed over Brenda and why he held her against her will. It was because that was what he did, he went after women who couldn't possibly ever truly love him and when they didn't he tried to kill the men he believed they did love, but he had made a horrible mistake in going to Port Charles and she was going to make he paid for it. 


	3. Friendly Secrets

**          Friendly Secrets**

          Disclaimer in first chapter.

          Emily and Layla stayed with Corey for three days and then they caught their flight to Port Charles. In the time that they had been at the ranch Emily learned a lot about her mother and her family in general. She found out that even though the men ran the business–and she still wasn't sure what 'the business' was–the women were the strength. She also found out that not only did she look a lot like her mother, but she acted like her too, Paige wanted to be a lawyer so that she could work in the family business and she was planning on going to law school when all of this stuff started. That was out of the question considering the fact that she now spent her life on the run. 

          "Hey, Em can I tell you what I wanted to say?" Layla asked as she put the magazine she had been looking at away and turned around in her seat. 

          "Oh, yeah definitely, I'm sorry you wanted to have this talk days ago," Emily said all of the sudden feeling very guilty about how little attention she had paid her friend who had stood by her side through all of this. 

          "Don't worry about it you have been going through a lot, I just thought this would be good for you to know before we got to Port Charles. I mean it's kind of important and also part of the reason I wanted to come with you." Layla said as she twisted her fingers around each other in a nervous gesture. "I just want you to know that I'm really sorry for not telling you this earlier and I don't want you to be mad…"

          "I'm not going to be mad at you," Emily interrupted her. "No matter what you say I won't be angry with you I promise. I've learned a lot in the last couple of days and I think the most important thing is that no matter what the people you love do they always deserve a second, third, and even fourth chance. And I love you like family, regardless."

          "Okay well I'm just gonna come out and say this then. I'm…umm well I'm Sonny Corinthos' sister."

          "Huh, that's not exactly what I was expecting you to say…I mean don't get me wrong I'm not mad, I wouldn't really have a right to be, but…umm how do you know?" Sonny had a sister; Emily couldn't believe it. This would be really funny if it wasn't so crazy. 

          "Actually I found out a few years ago," Layla said. "I even went to see him, but I couldn't do it, I couldn't walk up to someone I hardly even knew and tell him that I was his long lost sister. I mean really would you believe that, but then I saw you getting ready to go and meet your aunt and find out what was happening in you life and I just took my chance. Crazy, huh?"

          "No, not crazy at all. Just human." When Emily said that Layla looked at her through different eyes, she couldn't believe that someone actually understood what was going on in her head. She had never really had a true friend and now she had one that was willing to forgive a lie. Even though so many people she loved had lied to her. 

          "Well how about you sit back and get ready for another long story?" Layla asked smiling. She knew it was time to finally get all of this out in the open and maybe even gain a brother. "Okay well, first off I'm really only his half sister, we share the same father. I guess it had been about a year since I tried to see him when you came to the clinic, at first I didn't know who you were, Jason came to visit you and I knew who he was. You see before I went to see Sonny I did some research on who he was, there were a lot of headlines and your brothers name was right next to his in most of them. Anyway, imagine my surprise when I found out who you were, I wanted to get to know you so I requested your case. I thought maybe I could get some information about Sonny out of you, but then I got to know you and I realized that you could become a really good friend so I let it go…"

          "I sort of remember that you know," Emily said. "There was a time right after I broke up with Zander when you didn't want to talk about him or anything that had happened in Port Charles I just figured it brought up bad memories from your past or something. You know the whole rough past and getting stuck doing something you didn't want to…I thought maybe my talking to you about how he got stuck dealing drugs would remind you of your time as a…"

          "Stripper," Layla interrupted. "It did a little, but I'm not as ashamed of that as I used to be, I mean it put me through school and now here I am a 25 year old physical therapist. Anyway, let me tell you about my life. Most of it you already know I just left out whom my father was. As you already know when I was five my mother was in a car accident while my father was gone on one of his 'trips', which really meant he was out gambling or doing something else to blow all of his money. Anyway, when the accident happened I was in the car along with my best friend and her mother. When the EMT workers got there they couldn't really identify who was who, so I was sent to the hospital under my friend Maria's name and when I arrived I was in a coma for a couple of weeks. In that time my father had come back and found out what happened, but they told him that I was my friend and since I was the only one to survive the crash he though my mother and I were both dead so he left and by the time I came around he was nowhere to be found.

          "Considering the fact that my friend and her mother's only relatives lived in Europe and couldn't get there the hospital didn't really believe me when I told them they had the identities mixed up. So I had to wait for them to arrive and confirm what was going on. After that I was placed in foster care and I stayed in contact with Maria's grandfather for a while and he sent me money and stuff when I really needed it, but he died when I was sixteen and by that time I had gone through numerous foster homes. Some of them were abusive homes and by the time I turned seventeen I was done with that so I ran away and eventually became and emancipated teenager and had to earn a living on my own. That was when the stripping and drugs came in.

          "I stayed on that path for a little while until I got into another car accident and had to have some physical therapy done, while I was in rehab for my legs I got off drugs. I was really grateful to the workers at the hospital so I decided to become a therapist too, only I didn't really have money for school so I went back to stripping again and I did that for three more years, until I was 21 and then I got a good job, finished school, and here I am. Now you know the whole story."

          By the time Layla was done, Emily was speechless. She had already known most of the story with the exception of the two car accidents, actually until now she had never even wondered how the woman across from her lost her mother and now she felt ever worse than she had before for never asking. Then a thought occurred to about how much Layla and Sonny actually had in common; first of all there was Mike and they both had the same experiences there, but Emily also knew that he had a history of abuse also, in his case she just didn't know the particulars. He was very guarded whenever the subject had come up. Now that she thought about it Emily realized that they were very much alike in the way the dealt with things; neither of them would show weakness to anyone unless they were forced to and even then they didn't want help. 'I'm her Jason,' Emily thought to herself realizing that in the past couple of years whenever Layla was really down or hurting the only person she would ever let try to help was her.

          "So what, you don't have anything to say?" Layla asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice, she wasn't accustomed to not be responded to immediately.

          "You and Sonny are going to get along just fine." Emily said laughing and then started telling her what she knew about him and including information on Michael who she later pointed out was actually a nephew to both of them.


	4. Family Reunion

          Disclaimer in first chapter.

          "So wait a second," Layla said as she and Emily started walking up the driveway to the Quartermaine mansion. "Let me get this straight, Sonny is married to Jason's ex-girlfriend and Jason is married to Sonny's ex-girlfriend. Do I have that right?"

          "Pretty much," Emily responded.

          "And Jason and Sonny are still best friends…right?"

          "Yup," she answered and then started looking around and noticed all of the cars and lemo's in the driveway. "They must be having a party or something."

          The two girls continued walking until they got to the door and Emily stopped dead in her tracks, she didn't know if she was supposed to knock before she went in or if she should just walk in and tell Monica and Alan what she knew. Even if she did walk in it was obvious that there were other people there, she couldn't very well start this argument in front of a house full of guest…could she?

          "You should just do it," Layla said putting all of Emily's fears to rest. "I mean everyone is going to find out eventually and why shouldn't they hear it from you? Either way standing here staring at the door isn't going to get anything done."

          Emily stood there for a couple more seconds before finally getting her fear under control and regaining the courage she had spent the last couple of days trying to build up. After she was sure she could handle whatever she found she turn the handle and pushed the door open, only to be faced with the one thing she hadn't prepared herself for, Luis Alcazar. She had found some pictures of him in the newspaper when she got back into town, she didn't want to run into him and have no idea who he was.

          "Get out of this house," she heard Monica yelling and realized that everyone, except him had their backs turned to her. When she looked into his eyes she could almost immediately the recognition there. For the past couple have days she was so happy that she looked like her mother–that she could see something that they shared whenever she looked in the mirror–now she was cursing that fact.

          "You look exactly like your mother," Alcazar said with his eyes locked onto Emily's and that was when everyone turned around to look at her. Jason's face was the first to register in her mind, she wondered what he would think of her now, would he still consider her a sister. Before she got a chance to really delve into that thought she notices all of he other people in the room and now she was utterly confused. It looked like everyone in town was there…what in the world was going on.

          Jason heard Monica gasp behind him and he turned around to look at her, she was completely and utterly terrified. He didn't remember ever seeing her that scared…hell there was a time he didn't remember her at all, but since then he'd never seen this look on her face. He tried to follow her eyes to what she was looking at, but they didn't stay still. She was looking from Alcazar to Emily and back, no one said anything which he was very grateful for because it gave him time to really think about what had just been said. What Alcazar had just said, _"You look exactly like your mother."_ That didn't make any sense to him, considering that fact that Monica wasn't Emily's mother and they really didn't look alike. So why would he say that.

          "I guess you would know," Emily said and then started walking toward him with courage that she didn't really feel at the time. "That I look like my mother, I mean. I guess you would know that considering…considering…"

          "He's your father," Jason interrupted.

          "Oh my…you're her," Brenda said studying Emily.

          "Get out of my house," Monica said again this time much more self-assured. There was no way in hell she was going to let this situation escalate further that it already had.

          Everyone seemed stunned at the turn of events that night, but Alexis and Ned were the first to take the cue to leave, followed by Jax and Skye and then even Alcazar. Leaving Monica and Emily staring each other down and Jason, Layla, Edward and Alan watching. They had just been standing waiting for everyone to leave. Finally Emily broke the silence.

          "I thought I could do this," she said as she slowly started backing herself to the door. "I thought I could come here and be mad at you, but I'm not. Not really, mostly I'm just confused. And I'm just coming to terms with something I've known since this whole thing started, I'm not ready to be in this house yet." She then turned to Jason with pleading eyes and before she even had a chance to say anything he had her out the door and sitting in the lemo that already held Carly, Brenda and Sonny.  

          They all sat there for about five minutes, everyone shocked and just staring. Although Layla was mostly staring at Sonny, which didn't go, unnoticed by Carly.

          "Who are you?" she asked in a way that wasn't at all nice and when Layla smiled at her she got even more annoyed.

          "She's my physical therapist," Emily said trying to stop the fight the she knew was going to be started, because neither of women were the type to back down.

          "That's great what is she doing here and why is she staring at my husband."

          Sonny shot Carly a warning glance, but it was too late because she had already decide that she wasn't going to let this little girl sit there gaping at her man like a fish.

          "I here as support for Emily," Layla said and then looked over at the person she had just mentioned with mischievous eyes, she figured if she was gonna do this she might as well do it now. Get it over with so that could explain both situations in one clean swoop. "And I'm staring at your husband because he is my brother." 

          Sorry this one was so short the next chapter will be longer.


	5. New Infatuation

          Disclaimer in first chapter.

          An hour later Emily, Layla, Sonny, Carly, Brenda and Jason were all sitting in Sonny's Penthouse letting the events of the past couple of days set in. Emily and Layla had told their stories and Sonny had called Mike–who was out of town–for conformation on Layla's story; in the end he couldn't be sure, but Mike said that her story was probably true and that he didn't even think to check on the other girl in the hospital at the time of the accident. After he got off the phone Sonny readily accepted her as his sister and wouldn't hear of her paying for anything while she was in town. It was just like Emily had said- he really just wanted to get to know her. 

          For his part Jason went into a further explanation of how he had come to be married to Brenda, with her throwing in little details along the way, much to his annoyance. While they told the story Emily just looked from one of them to the other and had to hold back a smile, she could tell that whether they liked the idea or not they were definitely beginning to get used to having each other around. She gave them two weeks before they were sharing a room and to her surprise Sonny seemed to notice this also and didn't seem to mind it. He even looked happy about the situation. 

          Carly still hadn't apologized for yelling at Sonny's newfound sister, but no one had really expected her to, not even Layla. Emily was happy that everything seemed to be working out for everyone else, but she wasn't sure what she was supposed to be doing now. She wanted try and find her mother, but she didn't know if everyone else would be ready for that, especially Monica. 

          "I think it's time we all got some sleep," Sonny said as he got up from his seat on the couch and walked over to check the time on the clock. "We can continue talking tomorrow about what happens and maybe even see about finding your mother Emily, but for now rest is good."

          "Shit," Layla said looking over at Emily. "We never got our reservations for a hotel…we don't have anywhere to stay."

          "Well obviously you'll stay here Layla and Emily can stay at Jason's," Everyone turned to look at Carly who had been quiet since her comments in the lemo and all at once they started laughing when they realized that was the closest thing Layla was getting to an apology. Carly sat there annoyed for a few minutes before everyone went to their designated Penthouse and their designated beds.

          Forty-five minutes later Emily looked over at the clock in Jason's spare room and realized she wasn't going to be getting any sleep. She lay in bed for a minute before deciding that she was going to go out to a bar she knew about that was right outside of town. She had gone there a few times before she left town, luckily the owner, Frankie, didn't really care how old the people shooting pool were just as long as the didn't drink. Not that it mattered now she was legal.

          "Oh my gosh, Emily is that you?" Frankie asked as Emily took a seat at the bar. When she just looked up and smiled at the older woman the conversation one-sided conversation continued. "How long has it been since you stepped foot into this place two…maybe three years? Where have you been girl?"

          "It's a long story Frankie…can I get a drink. I swear I'm legal now." Emily replied with a hint of humor in her voice and she waited for the beer to be sat down in front of her before continuing. "Truthfully I haven't really been anywhere except rehab…"

          "Then you shouldn't be here darling," the older woman replied before snatching the drink out of her hand.

          "It's alright Frankie, that's not the type of rehab she means," Emily heard a man respond before the thoughts even formed in her head. "You see little-Ms. Quartermaine here got herself into some trouble of the mobster kind. She's been in physical therapy for a while, not drug therapy."

          Emily turned around all ready the give the man a flippant reply, but when she laid eyes on him she realized that she knew him from somewhere. He was standing there with an almost cocky smile on his face and she really wanted to hit him, he was wearing a blue T-shirt and jeans–which look very odd, yet fitting for some reason–and had a chiseled face and dark hair. It took her a second to really get everything to come together, but once she did she was utterly surprised. "Your Johnny…right? Johnny O'Brien, your work for my brother and Sonny."  

          "Yea that's me and I'm sure that my bosses wouldn't appreciate me allowing you to sit here drinking alone, so how about we make a deal. I'll buy you a drink and you let me make sure you don't get yourself into any trouble…"

          "I don't need a babysitter," Emily interrupted and then started to reach into her purse to get some money and realized she hadn't brought her purse with her; she had "borrowed" the keys to Jason's car that he never really drove. "But considering the fact that I seemed to have left my money at home I will let you buy me that drink." 

          "Of course you did," Johnny said not at all surprised and the held up two fingers to the other bartender since Frankie had already left, and then turned back to his new companion. "So does your brother know your in town or do I have to drag you kicking and screaming back to him?"

          "Why don't you wake him up and ask him?" Emily said annoyed and then grabbed her drink and headed for the only empty pool table in the bar.

          Johnny watched her walk away and laughed softly to himself at the way her hips sway back and forth. He knew he was walking straight into trouble before he even got up and followed her, but then again you don't become a mobster if you don't like trouble at least a little bit. The question was; was he ready for the amount he knew she would bring.

          "Oh I'm sorry did you want to play," Emily said as she stepped in front of him and leaned over to take a shot giving him a perfect view of her butt and the fact the she either wasn't wearing underwear or if she was, it was the kind that everyman dreamed of seeing a woman in. Either way she had half the guys in the bar looking at her ass.

          He stepped up behind her, placed his hands on her hips and slowly leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Actually I did come in here to play pool, but it seems as though you have a different game in mind."–Then he swiftly moved from behind her to the other side of the table to pick up his own pool stick.

          Emily's breath hitched in her throat as he whispered in her ear and she all, but got down on both knee's and thanked god when he left to the other side of the table. She hadn't really planned on ending up flirting with some guy–especially not some guy that worked for her brother–but now that she was, it was actually a very good distraction.

          "So what are you doing here anyway?" Emily asked as she took another shot. "I mean obviously Jason didn't send you to follow me so how do you know about this place?"

          Johnny laughed as she expertly hit the all but one of the solids into the pockets she called. "You weren't the only teenager Frankie allowed into her bar to play pool Ms. Quartermaine, actually I've seen you in here a couple of times. You just didn't look like you wanted to be bothered."

          "First of all my name's Emily, and I didn't really want to be bothered this time so what changed? I mean have you just been watching me from afar all of this time waiting until I was old enough to make your move." She said jokingly as she wiggled between him and the pool table and hit the five ball in.

          "Don't flatter yourself sweetheart," Johnny said as she hopped up onto the pool table and he stepped in between her legs. "I haven't been admiring anything, actually there was usually someone else who kept my attention off of you, if you know what I mean. Also, I just wanted to be sure your brother knew you were in town and I wasn't going to get shot for not telling him I saw you in a bar."

          Emily knew that she was playing with fire, but at this point she didn't really care, she leaned down and locked eyes with the man standing in front of her. Slowly she brushed her lips over his, eventually running her tongue over his bottom lip. Then she pulled back and planted a very chaste kiss on his lips.

          Johnny was completely surprised at how easily she had pulled him in, usually in situations like these–not that he was often in these situations–he was in control, but she seemed dead set on not allowing that to happen. When Emily pulled away he couldn't take it anymore, he rubbed his hands up and down her arms and followed her head back when she pulled away. He kissed her lightly at first, almost as lightly as she had kissed him, but soon a hunger built up inside him and he deepened the kissed and held onto her shoulders for dear life as he felt her hands running through his hair. After a couple of minutes of that he pulled away and he noticed to look of complete and utter despair in her eyes.

          "I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that," he said as he backed away from her, but the look also told him it wasn't the kiss that had her sad. "What's wrong, Emily?"

          She was very surprised that he had asked and even more surprised that all of the information had just come pouring out of her. This was the first time since she had found out the truth that she really had a good cry. Of course it had to wait until she was being thoroughly kissed, and in a great looking guys arms to happen, but at least she was starting to feel a little bit better.

          "I would say I'm sorry, but I figure enough people have already told you that so how about you tell me what you need to hear and I'll say it," Johnny was very confused by the woman who was now sitting in front of him at a booth, one minute she was completely in control and the next she was crying and telling him her life story, but he liked it. God help him he was walking straight into trouble and danger and all of those things his father always told him to stay away from in relationships and he liked it.

          "I should be telling you I'm sorry, I just told you this great big sob story and here you are babysitting me on your night off. So I'm sorry."

          Johnny was about to tell her she had not reason to be sorry when his phone rang, "O'Brien."

          _"It's Jason, I need you to help me look for my sister. She just got back into town and has been having a bad day, I don't think she in any real danger yet, but I'm still worried about her being out alone tonight."_

          He took a deep breath and looked over at Emily, she could tell by the look on his face that he was talking to Jason and she got very nervous all of the sudden.

          Johnny noticed Emily staring at him and he left the table to finish the conversation, "Yea I know she showed up at the bar I'm in."

          _"Okay, bring her back here."_

          He desperately wanted to argue, but he knew that there was no reason. With Jason there was no discussion–even if he did have more say than most of the "bodyguards" in Sonny's organization–Johnny knew that when Jason gave an order it was to be followed to a T. He barely got the words out that they were on their way before Jason hung up.   

          "We're leaving, huh?" Emily knew how the conversation was going to go before Johnny even left the table. Jason would tell him to bring her home and he would do it, because it was his job. Just like sitting with her tonight and listening to her cry was his job, but she just couldn't figure out how his kissing her had anything to do with is job. Before he could respond she got up and walked out of the bar, she look at all of the cars in the parking lot and started walking straight toward the one the was similar to Jason's in every way except color. He got in the driver seat without a word and they were off.


	6. Revalations

          Disclaimer in first chapter.

          "How'd you know which car was mine?" They had been driving for probably less than five minutes and Johnny was already becoming uncomfortable in the silence. He already knew how she knew which car was his, it was obvious there were only three other people who had cars like it Jason, Sonny and Benny and she had already seen at least Jason's, and probably Sonny's too.

          "Jason got one when Sonny really began to trust him, that was a while ago," she said distractedly. "I didn't know if you would have one or not they seemed to be reserved for very important people in Sonny's "business", but when I saw it I knew. Why does he get cars anyway, you'd think he buy you a new gun or something to show his appreciation."

          "You'd think. I guess he doesn't want people to get the wrong idea, you know, like he does something illegal."

          Emily knew what he was saying was supposed to be a joke, but it all of the sudden made her wonder what Alcazar gave to people he trusted, or if he even really trusted anyone. Then she wondered what her grandfather had given to the people he placed his trust in; his daughter's hand in marriage, or maybe something smaller like a set of steak knives. That seemed almost a weird as getting someone who lied and killed for you a car.

          "What are you thinking," he asked pulling her out of her own thoughts and back into the real world for the second time tonight.

          "Truthfully?" She asked and then smirked a little when he shook his head up and down like a two year old who was being asked if they wanted ice cream. "I was wondering if my grandfather and Alcazar did something similar for the people they trusted, you know if they offered some gift of some sort to prove it."

          "That's not why Sonny buys the cars. I mean I guess it's one reason, but it's also his way of saying that you're a part of his family. I didn't get mine until two weeks ago and I'm still not sure what I did to deserve it, but I think it's the only way he really knows how to thank a person without losing the power and respect he's worked so hard for. At least that's how Jason explained it."

          She looked thoughtful for a second and then seemed to understand what he meant much to his gratitude he didn't think he could explain it any other way. Then she quieted down a bit and again it started to make him nervous. He couldn't figure why all of the sudden he was so scared of quiet, but he was. He like hearing her voice the things she said made him think and the movement of her mouth in general brought back memories of the kissed they'd shared. The kiss that still left him a little breathless just thinking about and made him wants to reach over and do it again the consequences be damned.

          "When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?" Emily didn't know where that question had come from, but she regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth. She had no right to pry into his personal life like this, but she didn't take it back, in fact she did that opposite she looked at him intently waiting for an answer.

          "Truthfully?" He asked repeating her earlier question. "This. For as long as I can remember I wanted to do what I'm doing now. I mean I guess this isn't the best line of work to be in, but I gives me power and stability." He though about what he was saying for a second before continuing, he hadn't told anyone the next part–with the exception of Jason and Sonny–but he figured she wouldn't use it against him. "I have a sister, she's sixteen and doing this job made it so I could keep her with me instead of having her grow up with our mother who was essentially a crackwhore. When I was little I remember coming home to strange men in the house and seeing her sprawled out on the bed with needles in her arm. My mother got off drugs long enough to have Dani, that's my little sister, Danielle. After a while though she went right back to her old ways and all I ever wanted was to be able to get Dani out of that house and never have her go back. Working for Sonny gave me all that, and he doesn't deal in drugs."

          "Yea but…you sometime have to kill people right? I mean I'm not stupid I know what Jason does for Sonny and I know when you were guarding me for a while you would have probably killed anyone who tried to hurt me…it's your job."

          "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but I don't lie to my friends. Yes, I have killed for Sonny before and truthfully I probably don't feel anywhere near as bad about it as I should. I don't just go around killing people who don't deserve it and Sonny doesn't order me to kill or hurt people who haven't done the same. My understands having guards on her when she goes to school and when she spends that night at a friends, like tonight and that sometimes I get arrested, but to her I'm Johnny, her big brother, and that's all that matters. Just like with you and Jason."

          "Alright one more question," Emily said as they stepped out of the car and onto the elevator leading to the penthouses. "Why did you kiss me back there?"

          "I kissed you because I wanted to," he answered without hesitation. "Because you gave me this beautiful chaste kiss first and it was the only thing I could think to do in return that was even almost worthy of what you had given me, but mostly because I like you and I always told myself that when I found a girl I really liked I wouldn't let her get away no matter what was standing betweens us. Even if the thing between us is your brother and Sonny with guns."

          Emily didn't know whether to laugh or cry at what he had just told her. She had spent the whole ride trying convincing herself that he had only kissed her out of some sort of obligation not have her make a fool of herself, but if what he was saying was truth he did it because he genuinely liked her. She wanted to investigate this situation more, but the elevator was almost to Jason's floor so she had to think quickly.

          "Okay so here's the thing, I would like to see you more maybe even get to know you, but I don't want to lie to my brother or get you killed. Can that happen?"

          Johnny looked thoughtful for a second and the leaned over and kissed her on the top of her head. "When we get off the elevator let me talk to your brother. You need to get some sleep anyway and you'll have your answer in the morning."

          Emily did as she was told when they reached the penthouse she gave Jason and apologetic look for leaving without telling him and then went upstairs to bed throwing Johnny a shaky smile on her way up that didn't go unnoticed by Jason.

          "There's something I need to ask you…"

          "No." Jason said interrupting him before he could even get the question out of his mouth, there was no way his sister was going to be involved with someone like Johnny O'Brien even though at this time he couldn't figure out what was wrong with the guy.

          "We just want to get to know each other," Johnny said pleadingly. "Look Jason you know me we're friends and you know I'm not going to hurt her. I mean I could understand if I was womanizer or a player, but you know I'm not. As a matter of fact the only time I even really have time to date is when I need someone for show when you or Sonny have to make an appearance somewhere. I know that what I do for a living sucks, but this is your sister and while you may know her better than I do, we both know she's never gonna end up with a guy whose on the straight and narrow path. I'm not asking for her hand in marriage, just a chance." 

          "And what if you break her heart, do I get to kill you?"

          "That will never happen Jason and you know it. First of all I think her heart may be a little stronger that you want to believe and second I like her a lot and I will do anything and everything in my power to keep her safe, and don't tell me it's too dangerous. I know who her father is she told me the whole story and just being your sister puts her in danger if anything her being with me will make her safer, because at least I can protect her if we're alone together."

          Jason desperately wanted to argue, but he knew that there was really no reason to even try. Johnny had a good point, actually he had many good points, but before he could respond he noticed Brenda standing at the top of the stairs with a smile on her face and her fingers crossed. She was actually rooting for Johnny's little speech to work out which made him want to laugh out loud and tell Johnny he could marry Emily if he wanted just as long as it would keep that look on Brenda's face because it was the cutest most annoying look he had ever seen on a woman and he wanted to see it everyday for the rest of his life. _Where the hell did that come from?_ Jason asked himself before yelling at her to go back upstairs.

          "Well are you gonna let them see each other?" She asked as she came further down the stairs.

          "Not that it's any of your business," he said as he locked eyes with her and never looked away. "But yes I am just as long as Johnny here understands the consequences that may come along with it."

          Brenda squealed and threw her arms around Jason's neck not really sure of why she was so happy about his decision except for it proved something she had been thinking for a very long time, Jason Morgan did have a heart. She turned around and ran back up the stairs leaving both men stunned for very different reasons.

          "You won't regret it," Johnny said as he turned around and left the penthouse.

          Jason was all of the sudden very worried about the situation he had gotten himself into, not so much with Emily and Johnny, he knew that Johnny was a good guy. But more so with Brenda, when she threw her arms around his neck he felts something he hadn't felt in a long time, happy or at least what he had come to know as happy. This situation was about to become very volatile and he knew if he didn't handle it in the right way he may very well lose out on a relationship with a great woman…or a least a friendship depending on how she saw things. 

          P.S. The more reviews I get the faster I'll write….


	7. Introductions

Disclaimer in first chapter.

"Go 'way," Layla mumbled as she rolled over in bed and looked at a bright eyed Emily staring back at her.

          "I've gotta tell you something," Emily said as she laughed and pulled the covers off of her friend. "I met a guy last night!"

          "What the hell do you mean you met a guy last night? When you left here you went over to your brothers and went to bed, did you meet this guy in the hallway on the way over there?"

          "No silly," Emily laughed as she pulled the covers off yet again and started bouncing around the room. "I left his penthouse for a while and went out to a bar I used to know…now get your lazy butt out of bed and I'll tell you the rest."

          "What do you mean a bar you used to know, you were barely eighteen when you left this place," Layla yelled after Emily and then she jumped out of bed, pulled a pair of jeans on over her boxers, and put a bra on under her wife beater.

          When Layla finally made it downstairs Emily, Carly, Jason, Brenda, Sonny and Michael were all sitting in the living room talking. _Like a real family, _she thought with a smile.

          "Good morning sunshine," Sonny said with an unbelievably annoying smile on his face.

          "What the hell is wrong with you people?" Layla said as she plopped down on the couch next to Emily and looked over at the clock. "It's 8 o'clock in the damn morning and you all are up and ready to go. Is this an everyday type of thing and if so why don't I smell coffee?"

          "Well she fits right into the family doesn't she? Cussing us out already," Carly turned her head a looked at Layla with pity in her eyes. "I'm sorry sweetheart, but Mr. Health conscious over there doesn't allow real coffee in his house only that cappuccino crap."

          "What is wrong with you, waking up this early in the morning with only cappuccino to help you through the day?" Layla turned and asked a still smiling Sonny. 

          "Come on I'll take you to Kelly's you can get some coffee there and I'll tell you about my run in with Johnny last night," Emily said as she and Layla put on their coats and walked out the door, Emily throwing a victorious smile Jason's way before her head disappeared.

          "Johnny?" Carly and Sonny said in unison.

          "Tell me she didn't mean the Johnny that works for us," Sonny said.

          "Well I think that's our cue to pretend that we like each other and take Michael across the hall to play at Uncle Jason's. What do you think?" Brenda said to Carly who was already half way out the door.

Once they got outside Brenda turned to Carly and said, "Don't worry I'll tell you everything as soon as we got across the hall."

"Johnny?" Sonny questioned again after Carly and Brenda had left. "Jason do you really think that is a good idea, especially with everything that has been going on lately. I mean I just moved him up and I don't want to have to kill him if he breaks her heart."

          "He won't, I trust him" Jason said, he always had been a man of very few words and those were the most important and respectful he could or would ever use. Sonny had no argument for that, if Jason trusted someone than they definitely deserved it.

"So who is this Johnny guy?" Layla asked as the walked through the park to get to Kelly's.

          "Are you ready for this?" Emily asked and waited for Layla to shake her head yes. "He works for Jason and Sonny, I've known him forever and I didn't notice just how gorgeous and sweet he was until last night. Can you believe it?"

          "Can I believe that someone who works for them is gorgeous? Yes. I've seen your brother. Can I believe that he is going to let you see this guy? No." 

          "Yeah I couldn't either at first, but I guess Johnny talked Jason into it, either that or Jason was so busy staring at Brenda he didn't even know what he was saying. Either way I got what I want and that is totally good."

          "Emily?" Both girls turned around to see what Layla could only describe as a beautiful dirty-blonde haired boy; no scratch that, he was very much a man.

          "Hey Spencer." Emily said as she ran and jumped into the sexy mans arms. 

          "Hey brat, how's it going?" Lucky asked as he put her down. "My dad told me you called and I've heard rumors going around that you made a very…flashy entrance at the Quartermaine house last night."

"Man news does travel fast in this town doesn't it," Layla said in and amused tone which grabbed Lucky's attention and forced him to concentrate of the beautiful woman standing next to Emily.

"Yes, yes it does," Lucky, said as he kept his eye on her. "Emily are you going to tell me who your new friend is."

          Before Emily could respond Layla had already told him her name and offered her hand for him to shake.

          "Cool name," he replied and then inwardly smacked himself for the dorkiness of the response, until he notice that Layla was grinning at him apparently very amused by how flustered he had become.

          "Hey," Emily yelled interrupting the silent communication between the two. "I hate to break up this love fest, but I'm cold and I would like to get coffee before noon tomorrow so can we continue on inside and you to can gaze at each other in there."

          "Bite me," Layla said as she stepped through the door that Lucky was holding open for them.

          "Oh man I don't know if I can do this," Emily said as she walked through the door to Kelly's and saw two people sitting at the counter kissing. Layla looked at the two people confused while Lucky inwardly groaned, he had forgotten that it was Liz's day to work and wherever she was Zander seemed to be lately.

          "Come on," he said pulling on the two girls arms. "We can get coffee at my dad's that's about the only thing he can actually make." But before the three of them could get out the door Liz turned and saw them leaving.

          "Emily…Emily is that you?" She said as she dislodged herself from Zander and walked across the diner. Zander stayed back a little utterly amazed at the fact he she was walking…and also because he had forgotten just how beautiful she actually was.

          "Yeah it's me." 

          "I missed you so much," Liz said as she pulled her into a hug that left Emily feeling completely uncomfortable and annoyed. 

_"Did she actually think that it was acceptable to sleep with her best friends boyfriend and it would be okay," Layla thought. "Surely she didn't."_

          "So are you in town for good or is this just a visit?" Liz asked and Emily could almost see the hope spring into her face at the thought that she might not be staying.

          "Oh we're back for a while…definitely." Layla said trying to spare Emily as much as she could from talking to the…

          "Well yeah…but right now we I have to I promised Luke I'd stop by and see him. I sort of owe him one." Emily said as she unknowingly interrupted Layla's bad thoughts.

          "Luke?" Liz said. "I didn't know you two were so close."

          "Well, I am his son, so why wouldn't he be close with my best friend?" Lucky said as he pulled to two girls out of Kelly's not giving Liz a chance to respond or Zander a chance to come out of his temporary coma.

          **LUKE'S**

          "Hey dad are you here?" Lucky yelled as the three companions walked in to the club.

          "Yeah, yeah I'm back here Cowboy trying to sort out these…" before he could finish his sentence the three of them heard a crash coming from the direction of Luke's office and went running back there.

          "Dad…dad are you okay?"

          "Yeah I'm fine, hey little darlin' how's it going?" Luke said as he looked over at Emily and then her friend. "Is this the owner of the other plane ticket I arranged?"

           

          "Ummm…yes. Luke, meet Layla. Layla this is Luke Lucky's dad." Emily said as the two of them shook hands.

          "Well, it's really nice to meet you," he said as he sat up in his chair. "And Emily I do want you to explain why I helped you out, but right now I'm gonna need my son's help trying to sort out all of this stuff for my taxes, so do you mind leaving us to get some work done?"

          "No problem," they said simultaneously. 

          Lucky glared at his father as the two girls left the office and he held up his hand to indicate the he'd be back before he followed them out.

          "Hey dad's got a really cool guy playing here tonight if you guys want to stop by later."

          "Well I can't. I actually have a date tonight, but Layla can," she said as she nudged her friend on the shoulder.

          "I don't know if I can find my way back here…"

          "That's okay I can pick you up," Lucky interrupted. "Just tell me when and where."

          "Well, right now I'm staying with my brother, Sonny Corinthos. I'm just going to assume you know him considering how tight everyone in this town seems to be. And you can pick me up at eight."

          "Sonny?" Lucky said and then looked over at Emily for her confirmation. "Yeah I know who he is. Umm…wow. I didn't know he had a sister."

          "Well neither did he until last night," Layla said a little confused at Lucky's sudden reluctance. "Is that going to be a problem?"

          "No, not at all," Lucky answered and then the two girls left.

          "Good job Cowboy, you really can pick can't you. I mean Sonny's little sister and right after you started working for him. This could be entertaining."

          "Shut up dad," Lucky said as he snatch the glass of vodka out of his hand, and then something occurred to him and he looked over to his father. "You don't think he'll kill me do you?"

          "Naw kid, just don't back down he'll try to scare you a little bit, but he knows your a relatively good guy. Just try not to hurt her, huh. I'd rather not have to go to another one of your funeral's."

          "Shut up dad and help me with these receipts."

          More reviews PLEASE!!!


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